Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Budget topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parks board reviews 2027–31 capital priorities: Green Line Park, playgrounds, mower replacement and pool repairs
Summary
The board discussed the draft 2027–2031 capital budget, including conceptual designs for 'Green Line Park', a proposed 10-foot multiuse path, shifting or delaying a cold-storage facility, a $105,000 mower quote with ~$13,000 trade-in, and pool repairs including a main-pool leak estimated at 10,000–12,000 gallons per day.
The Monona Parks and Recreation Board spent much of its July 15 meeting reviewing draft priorities for the 2027–2031 capital budget, with staff outlining timing, funding sources and several large projects that could proceed if the city approves requested capital funds.
Jake, the parks director, said the city is considering concrete work for the west park entrance and suggested parkland dedication fees as the funding source for smaller items (he noted some concrete work could be less than $10,000). He described a proposed 10-foot-wide multiuse path to the lagoon and an eventual bridge; if the full project is approved, staff anticipates major construction activity in 2027 with potential leasing or occupancy of adjacent development in 2028.
One large item under review is a project the board referred to as Green Line Park. Jake said council approved moving forward with conceptual designs and that staff expects to present two base concepts with estimated costs at the August meeting. "We're gonna kinda just have two kind of base concepts with the estimated price, cost of what we would be anticipating," he said.
The committee discussed playground replacement at Fireman's Park and moving the cold-storage facility project to a later year while the city resolves questions about a Public Safety Building and potential Maywood property uses. Jake said equipment-replacement priorities include a quoted $105,000 price for an 11-foot mower (trade-in value roughly $13,000) and that in-house mowing remains cheaper than contracting, noting flexibility concerns with outside contractors.
Pool maintenance also factored into the budget conversation. Staff described immediate repairs including epoxy painting of water slides, investigation of a leaking pump-room roof (rubber membrane last replaced in 1993) and efforts to locate a main-pool leak running about 10,000–12,000 gallons per day; Cape Pool has an additional, larger leak with costs still being estimated. Jake said a full pool renovation study had been deferred to 2031 and that the department would maintain existing facilities until long-term decisions about city facilities are resolved.
Other items discussed included resurfacing and restriping at Maywood Park basketball court with adjustable hoop heights, continued discussion of Winnequah Park master planning (community engagement, consultant-led design, phased engineering and construction), and potential use of parkland dedication fees for smaller near-term projects.
Jake asked committee members to consider reordering priorities before the August meeting and noted staff will return with more concrete cost estimates and timelines. Final capital budget approvals will proceed through the city’s budget process and, where applicable, plan-commission or council review.
